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How draughts can harm the eyes
A car journey with the window down, an open door in the restaurant or the air conditioner on a plane – draughts put our eyes under stress. Burning, itching or pain in the eyes can then quickly develop, making them turn red and irritated. Often, the result is sicca syndrome or conjunctivitis.
Why do draughts damage the eyes?
When the eyes are exposed to draughts, the tear film evaporates. The protective layer then dries off, leaving the surface of the eye dry. Tear fluid, however, is especially important for the function of the eyes, since it keeps the eye moist and lubricated, contains germ-killing substances and allows smooth blinking.
If you have sensitive eyes anyway, you should avoid draughts under all circumstances. But there are other factors which can cause irritation or dry eyes:
- air conditioning
- dry air from central heating
- prolonged working in front of a computer screen
- smoke
- dust
- direct sunlight
- certain cosmetics
- contaminated contact lenses
- chlorinated water
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What eye symptoms can draughts cause?
Draughts can be very unpleasant for the eyes. Symptoms can already develop after a short while, such as:
- redness of the eye
- itching, burning or pain on the eyes
- increased tear production
- foreign body sensation
The immediate reaction is then usually to rub the eyes with your fingers. But this is exactly what makes the symptoms worse instead of relieving them. If your hands are not washed, pathogens can very quickly enter the already irritated eye and cause infection.
The effect of a draught can also lead to non-specific conjunctivitis, which is generally caused by external influences. The disease is often manifested by the feeling of having a foreign body in your eye, pain and redness, as well as your eyes or even just one eye suddenly tearing. The eye secretion is no longer clear and fluid, but can appear cloudy and turbid. Those affected often wake up with sticky eyelids.
What helps against dry eyes caused by a draught?
Anyone can suddenly get dry eyes from a draught. So it's worth finding out about home remedies and treatment options so as to be prepared when the symptoms develop:
- Lubricating eye drops are suitable for regularly wetting the eyes. Thus, they receive the protection which the tear film can no longer adequately provide.
- Eye compresses help against swollen and overtired eyes. For this purpose, soak two cotton pads in warm water and place them on your closed eyelids.
What should you do for conjunctivitis?
If your eyes are very red and burning due to a draught, non-specific conjunctivitis could already be developing. In this case, you should definitely consult an eye specialist before treating the symptoms yourself. The doctor can assess the cause behind the inflammation of the sensitive conjunctiva, as the symptoms could also be brought on by viruses or bacteria. Treatment of a harmless irritation is fundamentally different from that of a serious infection.
However, if it is an inflammation resulting purely from the irritation of a draught, here is what you can do about it:
- Anti-inflammatory eye drops quickly relieve the symptoms. In addition you can use lubricating eye drops to re-moisturise the irritated eye evenly and protect it from further irritation.
- Special eye creams or eye ointments can also help.
- Eye baths have a regenerating effect on inflammations and relieve the pain in the eye. Eye baths as small oval vessels made of glass or plastic are available for this purpose. They are filled with fluid and positioned around the eye socket. If the eyes are very dry from the draught, then an eye bath with a special saline solution from the pharmacists is suitable.
In addition, you should avoid any form of irritation to the eye. Wear sunglasses outside, do not wear contact lenses, refrain from applying cosmetics, and rest your eyes as much as possible until the inflammation has subsided.